Hello!

I am Irene Shams, singer, educator, composer

and musical director.

I have been teaching music to Oriental and Raqs Sharqi dancers from all over the world for more than 15 years, creating specialized and innovative programs and methods.

Here are some details of my training and experience inside and outside the music of the Arab world.

As you will see, learning and growth are part of my philosophy of life, and I am constant striving to improve myself and my abilities in as many ways as possible.

And I hope I can transmit that love for music to you, too!

What I Can Offer You

A broad and comprehensive vision

for connecting Eastern and Western

music, which helps to understand

the music of the Arab world to people who do not belong to that culture.

Thank you to my training and experience in different musics, from European Classical music to jazz, latin and Afro-American music, from the traditional music of different cultures in the world to the musics of the Arab world.

Aptitude for approaching and explain music as well as musical resources, in a simple, creative, fun and didactic way, both at the professional and informative level.

On the one hand, thanks to my studies in musical

pedagogy, and on the other, thanks to more than 25 years teaching music to people of all ages and levels, individually and in groups, conducting musical groups and also carrying out activities for companies.

Knowledge of the world of oriental dance from within, knowing what the concerns and needs of the dancers are.


Thanks to my years of training and experience as an oriental dancer, acting as a soloist and being part of dance companies.

CLASSICAL MUSIC, JAZZ-LATIN-BOSSA NOVA,

TRADICIONAL WORLD MUSIC:


  • Degree in Solfeggio, Conterpoint and Musical Theory (Superior Conservatoire of Music, Madrid)
  • Graduate as Composing teacher and Piano teacher (Profesional Conservatoire Madrid)
  • Advanced Certificated Teacher (Institute for Vocal Advancement).
  • Founder, director and teacher of Mix Voice Studio (Madrid).
  • Jazz-fusion and Latin singer, arranger and composer.Within jazz I have had the honor of training with teachers of the stature of Deborah Carter, Anita Wardell, Bobby Mcferrin, Bob Stoloff, Michelle Weir and Horacio Icasto, between many others.
  • In my experience as a solo performer and as a teacher I have participated in jazz festivals and taught singing courses and seminars at national and international level.
  • I studied Music pedagogy with masters as Violeta Hemzy de Gainza, Emilio Molina, Dough Goodking, etc.between others.
  • I studied Ethnomusicology for 2 years (Superior Conservatoire of Music, Salamanca).
  • I usually attend different workshops and courses about traditional World music, with references as Tzvetanka Varimezova (Bulgarian), Martha Mavroidi (Greek), Evgenia Damavoliti (Cretan)...
  • I've been invited as specialist in Traditional Vocal Music of the World in Poland, Austria and inside Institute for Vocal Advancement.
  • Conductor of Gospel and Modern Music Choir at Complutense University (2007-14) and Orange Choir (2010-2017) between others.
  • Creator and director of VOSIWO, an event joining singers and teacher from over the World.
  • Creator or Singers PRO method, between others.



ARAB WORLD MUSIC AND ORIENTAL DANCE:


  • I am musical director, arranger/songwriter and singer of the show "Muwashahat" of Nesma in which they fuse the Andalusian music, Arabic classical, jazz, etc. and with which we have performed in Spain, France and Japan.
  • I have participated in other previous projects, such as Alkobry, with the same functions. I have shared stage with musicians like Mohamed Aly, David Mayoral, Delchad Ahmed, Patxi Pascual, Rasha and Abdelssalam Naiti between many others.

TEACHER:

  • As I was saying, I teach music courses for dancers since 2003, year in which I designed the first monographic program of music aimed at dancers of Raqs sharqi and Egyptian folklore, together with Nesma, taught at their academy Al Andalus Danza.
  • I have worked as an advisor and transcribed the rhythms of the DVD "Rhythms of Oriental Dance" by Nesma and Hamish Henkesh.
  • For 15 years I have worked exclusively with Nesma, regularly teaching in:
  1. AATEC Program
  2. Raks Madrid Festivals 
  3. Al Andalus Winter Camp.
  • Among my proposals for dancers stand out:
  1. Musical analysis for dancers and choreographers, specialty never imparted until that moment, with an integrating method of the Western and "oriental" visions.
  2. Own methodology of teaching rhythms to dancers and pedagogy for dance teachers, especially complex rhythms.
  • I have organized musical trips to Morocco in 2018 and 2019, with meetings and classes with local musicians.
  • I have been invited to participate in festivals and platforms as Shams Festival by Jacqy Díaz (Madrid) and Estudio Sahar by Marina Barrionuevo (Argentina).

MUSIC TRAINING:

  • I have attended classes and workshops with Mad. Fatma Serham, Khaled Alhafez, Khamis Henkesh, Wael el Nagger, Maher Kamal, Haki Kilic and Ahmed Abdel Fattah between others(Madrid, Cairo)
  • I have attended courses and classes about Andalussian and Oriental Arabic music with my dear friend and master Amin Chaachoo (Morocco), for whom I have organized music and Andalusian singing courses (Madrid).
  • I have worked Gnawa music with Maalem Arafa Chaara and Maalem Hamad Mahjoubi (Morocco), and Haul music with the great Marien Hassan and her Troupe (Salamanca).


DANCE

  • I started studying oriental dance and folklore with the Egyptian master Fathy Andrawis, becoming part of his El Karnak company and starting my first solo performances in tearooms and private parties.
  • I continued my training for years with Nesma, later forming part of its Al Andalus Cia. and attending courses with teachers such as Farida Fahtmy, Saad Ismail and Khaled Mahmoud.